UN: human trafficking thrives
on vulnerability and despair of people
 |
| Human trafficking and slavery |
In a message for the July 30 World Day against Trafficking
in Persons, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ encouraged the fight against
criminals of human trafficking and help the victims.
By Robin Gomes
The United Nations chief is urging all to reaffirm their
commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and
to help victims rebuild their lives.
“Armed conflict, displacement, climate change, natural
disasters and poverty exacerbate the vulnerabilities and desperation that
enable trafficking to flourish,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ noted
in a message for the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, observed
on Tuesday.
The annual observance was established by a UN General
Assembly resolution in December 2013, designating its observance on 30 July
each year.The
For this year’s observation, the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime, UNODC, is focusing on highlighting the importance of government action
in the interest of victims of trafficking. But the call to action is also
to everyone.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis is one among many who has raised his voice
against the scourge on World Day against Trafficking in Persons on Tuesday.
“Let us pray that the Lord will free the victims of human
trafficking and help us to respond actively to the cry for help of so many of
our brothers and sisters who are deprived of their dignity and freedom,” the
Pope tweeted.
The Holy Father, who attaches enormous importance to the
plight of the millions of trafficked and enslaved men, women and children, has
described the crime as an “atrocious scourge”, an “aberrant plague” and an
“open wound on the body of the contemporary society”.
72% of trafficked victims are women and girls
According to UNODC, 72 per cent of detected
victims are women and girls, and 30 per cent are children. The percentage of
child victims has more than doubled from 2004 to 2016.
“Most detected victims,” Guterres said, “are trafficked for
sexual exploitation; victims are also trafficked for forced labour, recruitment
as child soldiers and other forms of exploitation and abuse.”
He pointed out that traffickers and terrorist groups prey on
the vulnerable, from people in poverty to those caught up in war or who face
discrimination.
In this regard, he said that Nadia Murad, the first
trafficking victim to serve as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, was justly
co-awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for galvanizing international action
to stop trafficking and sexual violence in conflict.
Migrants
The UN Secretary-General noted that migrants are
particularly the victims of human trafficking. “Thousands of people have died
at sea, in deserts and in detention centres, at the hands of traffickers and
migrant smugglers plying their monstrous, merciless trades.”
Guterres pointed out that abuse and exploitation take place
around us, with countless businesses and enterprises benefitting from the
misery of others in sectors such as food production and consumer goods.
Despite efforts and actions against human trafficking, he
said, more needs to be done to bring transnational trafficking networks to
justice. He particularly urged that victims are identified and can access
the protection and services they need.
"On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let
us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people
for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives," Guterres added.
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